LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Women’s Soccer capped an unprecedented marathon regular season featuring five matches in just 10 days by earning a hard fought point Saturday afternoon at Hickey Field. The Saints battled four-time defending MAAC Champion and preseason favorite Monmouth for the full 110 minutes to secure a 1-1 draw.

 

Leslie Adams made a season-high 11 saves for Siena (4-0-1) who has earned a six-day respite before hosting a MAAC Quarterfinals match next Friday in Loudonville. Emily McNelis scored her team-high fourth goal in five matches for the Saints who secured at least a point for only the second time in 11 all-time meetings against perennial MAAC powerhouse Monmouth (3-1-2).

 

Jesi Rossman opened the scoring in the eighth minute for the Hawks, who held a commanding 28-7 advantage in shots and an 11-2 margin in corners.

 

But Siena battled back, with McNelis netting the equalizer in the 36^th minute. She headed in the corner from Deanna Lomino, who registered her fifth assist in as many contests on the play.

 

Monmouth out-shot Siena 16-2 following halftime, but the Saints held the fort to preserve the tie.

 

Predicted to finish eighth according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Siena sits atop the conference leaderboard heading into the league’s final day of regular season action Tuesday. The Saints previously matched their win total from the entirety of their most recent 19-match 2019 season, and head into postseason play having outscored their opponents by a 13-2 margin during this unique spring season.  Siena was slated to travel to Marist to conclude regular season action Tuesday, but will now be off following the previously announced cancellation of the match as a result of Marist College extending its campus-wide pause through at least next Wednesday.

 

The 2021 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship format for this spring will feature an eight-team field spanning three rounds, and will be seeded according to points per match. Following the quarterfinal round next Friday, the semifinals are set for Monday, Apr. 12 with the championship Friday, Apr. 16. The higher seeded team will host each matchup.